During the manufacture of epitaxial device wafers, particles (or defects) may form, or be deposited, on a surface of one or more layers of the wafer. As additional layers are epitaxially-grown, particles on one surface may cause one or more locations on subsequently grown surfaces to have a raised profile, typically in the location above the particle. As each additional layer is deposited, the height of the raised profile (or bump) in the additional layers caused by the particle or other bumps may increase.
In some manufacturing processes, a wafer may be bonded to another wafer using various processes such as an inverted metamorphic (“IMM”) manufacturing process. In an IMM manufacturing process, one wafer having one or more layers is inverted and bonded in some manner to another wafer, also having one or more layers. In some instances, if the raised profiles caused by particles are significant enough, the bonding process may render the resulting device inoperable. For example, the raised profile may cause structural damage to one or more layers of either wafer because of the relatively greater pressure experienced in the location of the raised profile during a bonding process using pressure as compared to other locations.
It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure herein is presented.